Looking up observations…
Zip code tool
Bird Tracker
Which birds are around you this month? Enter a zip code to see the species people have photographed and confirmed nearby in the last 30 days.
What you will see
The bird species most often reported within your radius over the last 30 days, ranked by number of research-grade iNaturalist observations, with a photo and a link to each species page. If the site operator adds a free eBird API key, the tool also shows eBird's recent and notable sightings.
Birds and pollinator gardens are the same project. The caterpillars that native plants host are what songbirds feed their young. See how to start a native garden.
FAQ
Birds and native plants
- What do native plants have to do with birds?
- Almost all songbirds feed their nestlings insects, mostly caterpillars, and most caterpillars can only eat native plants. A yard with oaks, cherries, goldenrod, and asters produces thousands of caterpillars a season; a yard of lawn and non-native ornamentals produces almost none. Native berries and seed heads then carry adult birds through fall and winter.
- When is spring migration on Long Island?
- Warblers and other songbirds move through from mid-April to late May, peaking in the second week of May. Fall migration is more spread out, from August through October, with hawks and monarchs along the shorelines in September.
- Should I put up a nest box?
- Yes, if you can place it correctly. Eastern bluebirds, tree swallows, chickadees, and house wrens all use boxes. Face the entrance east or northeast, mount 5 to 6 feet up on a pole with a predator guard, and clean it out each winter. We installed a set of nest boxes at the Nassau County Museum of Art preserve.